Pursuing Miss Union Jack
by Emery Saks
Summary: Peggy Carter is a successful business woman who excels at her almost everything she does. Except dating. So she's less than thrilled when she realizes her assistant created an online dating profile for her. That annoyance turns into curiousity when she receives an bubbly message from a vivacious young woman. Intrigued, Peggy decides to respond.
1. Prologue

Peggy Carter eyed the stack of contracts sitting in her inbox with disdain. It didn't matter how often she reviewed or signed them consigning them to a new department – more always piled up on her desk. It was a vicious cycle. It was bureaucracy in action. It was, sadly, her life.

Up until recently, she hadn't minded it so much. In fact, usually, she thrived on it, but lately, it seemed like the endless work days bled into extended work evenings, and she would inevitably wake up the next day to a stack of papers next to her on the couch and an empty wine glass – or three – on the end table beside her. She struggled to remember when that had begun to happen.

Peggy's eyes fell on the framed picture of the carefree blond man sitting next to her phone and sighed. She knew, without a doubt, her evenings would be much different if Steve hadn't lost his life in that plane crash two years ago. They'd discussed moving to San Francisco together when Peggy had been offered the position of Research and Development Director for Stark Aerodynamics. Two months after a botched search-and-rescue mission had ended in Steve's death along with three other crew members, Peggy finally accepted the position, desperate to leave their shared home in Bristol and escape the memories that haunted her at every corner.

She shook her head to clear the sad memories. Steve was gone and no amount of dwelling on the past could change that, and it wasn't as if she were a total recluse. Peggy had made a point to join a few of the other executive directors at the company gym three mornings a week, and she dropped by social gatherings when invited, although she had the sneaking suspicion people were beginning to wonder about her.

Even Colleen, her personal assistant, had discretely started hinting that perhaps she should test the waters of the dating world, but Peggy wasn't sure she was ready for anything like that. After all, it had been almost five years since she and Steve had first met, and a solid seven years since her passionate – although somewhat tumultuous – relationship with Susan had ended. She was certain dating – whether with men or women – had to be quite different today than it was back then, and she was suddenly rather grateful that wasn't a headache with which she had to contend.

A reminder popped up on her Outlook calendar, drawing her from her musings, and she groaned. Another meeting. With Finance. She reached for her tablet, inadvertently knocking her mobile phone to the floor.

"Bloody hell!"

As she leaned over to retrieve it, she noticed a message notification in the upper right-hand corner of an app on her screen. She squinted, not recognizing the app. What the hell was _Matchable Partners_ and, more importantly, when had it been downloaded to her mobile? She didn't recall purchasing anything in the app store lately.

Her calendar dinged again, and she straightened back up. If she didn't hurry, she was going to be late. She made a mental note to research the app more when she returned and then dashed out of her office and down the hallway. _Matchable Partners_ , whatever it was, would just have to wait.


	2. You've Got Mail

Paste your docu

By the time Peggy finished her meeting and managed to make it home, it was almost 7 o'clock and she had no desire to do anything remotely productive for the remainder of the evening. Deciding to treat herself, she grabbed Chinese from the little shop next door before trudging upstairs to her modest two-bedroom apartment, neatly depositing her shoes next to the mat and placing her keys in the bowl that sat on a small table situated near the front entryway.

Peggy disappeared into her bedroom, returning a few moments later clad in black leggings and a oversized t-shirt. She grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and plopped down on the couch, mobile in one hand, takeout in the other.

"Finally," she sighed happily. "Food." And proceeded to shovel a forkful of noodles into her mouth, eyes closing in pleasure as the flavor assaulted her taste buds. "Mmmm, so good."

Leaning back, she laid her head against the couch and chewed. "You know," she said, glancing at the food. "I do believe I would marry you if I could. You're so delicious. It should be a crime, really." She chuckled at her own silliness. It really had been a long day if she was proposing marriage to noodles.

She laughed again, but then paused. Thinking about marriage had jostled her memory. What was it again? Something about Partners. Ah yes! The _Matchable Partners_ app! She retrieved her mobile and unlocked it, swiping to the app at the very last screen.

Taking a closer look, she realized there were small hearts outlining the words. "Oh good Lord," she muttered, eyes sliding shut in consternation as she suddenly remembered how this had made its way onto her mobile.

It had been three weeks ago at one of her team's after-hours gatherings when they'd all met at a karaoke bar down the street from the office. After three rounds of Patron shots and several covers of Def Leppard's _Hysteria_ album, Colleen had managed to convince her to sign up for the online dating service. Peggy vaguely recalled handing her mobile over to the younger girl and chuckling about " _in Patron veritas – in tequila there is truth._ "

As she scrolled through her profile, groaning at the ridiculous user name – _Miss Union Jack_ – Peggy realized her observation hadn't been too far off the mark. Although Colleen had used a few of her boss' more professional headshots, she'd apparently managed to snag several from her Facebook profile, uploading ones that Peggy would never have posted herself, including a particularly revealing one of her in a bikini that had been taken a few years earlier while on holiday with Steve in Capri.

Returning to the home screen, Peggy swiped her finger across the message notification, intending to delete it, but instead of disappearing, the message opened to reveal a profile picture of a beaming young woman with bouncing brown curls and bright blue eyes.

 _She's adorable._

Peggy was startled at the thought flashing through her mind, but upon taking a second look, she realized it was true. There was something compelling about the mischievous smile staring back at her, and, intrigued, Peggy clicked on the message to see what BroadwayBaby87 had to say.

 _Hi! This is probably a shot in the dark since we're so far away from each other. But you popped on my What Ifs list and that pretty profile pic caught my eye! Plus your birthday photo made me laugh._

Peggy quickly went back to her own profile and searched for the photo in question, a sneaking suspicion already forming in her mind as to what she would find. Sure enough, there it was, taken on her most recent birthday when she'd a bit too much to drink at the Mexican restaurant with her friends. A cigar nestled between her deep red lips. That alone wouldn't have been too bad, but when coupled with a rather large sombrero and fake mustache, it was mortifying.

She shook her head and made a mental note to indulge in less alcohol when in the company of said friends. Obviously no good came of it. She returned to the message.

 _I figured any woman confident enough to post that as an online dating picture has got to be someone worth meeting. So take a look at my profile and give me a shout back if you like what you see!_

"What a charmer," Peggy chuckled, because to be honest, she had had a good time at that birthday celebration, and she hadn't had that much alcohol. Privately, Peggy knew she had a great sense of humour, but felt it was often unnoticed because people tended to view her as somewhat straight laced. For this woman to have somehow managed to see that through an online photo was flattering.

Peggy clicked on the profile and began scrolling through the pictures seeing the brunette standing on some rocks in what looked to be Central Park, working behind a coffee counter, lounging backstage of some theater and then a professional headshot.

 _She was beautiful._

Peggy could easily admit that.

 _Vivacious._

It was obvious this young woman had a zest for life.

 _But somewhat young._

If BroadwayBaby87's user name was any indication, she was at least five years younger than herself. Did she even want to respond?

Peggy set her mobile aside and considered it for several minutes, weighing the pros and cons of a response. The woman was attractive and perceptive. Young – probably not well established in a career if her photos were any indication. But that didn't necessarily mean she was flighty. Was Peggy willing to pursue a relationship with–

 _Relationship?_ Peggy scoffed to herself. _This woman lives in New York City. Nothing would ever come of this… innocent flirtation._

"Oh, what the hell," she muttered. "Let's have some fun. God knows I can use the ego boost." She picked up her mobile and began to type.

 _Hello._ _Thank you for your kind message. Truth be told, I was rather surprised to see a notification from you as I'd forgotten this account even existed. I'll suspect I'll have some strong words with the person who created this profile for me._ _That being said, your pictures are quite lovely – vivacious –_ _you have an infectious personality_ _..._

She backspaced quickly.

"Infectious?" she chastised herself aloud. "Honestly, Peggy, nobody wants to be compared to a disease." She glared at her mobile. "Bloody Hell! I don't even how online dating works!"

 _I must admit, I'm quite unfamiliar with the protocols for online dating, so please forgive me if I come across as somewhat inept._

She paused and looked at the screen before resuming her message.

 _What's your favourite colour? What is it you do?_

 _Have a wonderful evening._

 _Sincerely,_ _Miss Union Jack_

 _PS – I did not choose that name._

Peggy read everything over and frowned. Her words sounded stiff. Awkward. But she didn't know what else she could say or a better way to phrase it. How did people do this day in and out? More importantly, how had dating been reduced to this… this impersonal form of communication?

"Enough of this nonsense," she finally muttered, hitting send and dropping her mobile to the table. She'd wasted enough time on this tonight. If BroadwayBaby87 was truly interested, she'd write back. If not, Peggy would chalk it up to a lesson learned and delete her account first thing in the here...


	3. A Perfect Way to End the Night

When Angie Martinelli stumbled across the brunette's profile in the early hours of the morning, her heart did a little flip flop and her mouth fell open in surprise. She almost dropped the coffee she was carrying but fortunately managed to right it before spilling liquid everywhere.

She sat on the edge of the couch and quickly began scrolling through the woman's photos, excitement growing with each new picture. To say she was gorgeous would be an understatement, and Angie wasn't just basing this on the stunning bikini photo (although that picture certainly helped reinforce her opinion). This woman exuded class. It was clear as a day, and Angie, who wore her heart on her sleeve, was immediately smitten. So she sent a wink and a short hello message to Miss Union Jack before heading off to shower and get ready for work. She crossed her fingers and hoped for the best, but deep down, if she was going to be honest with herself, she never really expected a reply. A woman like Miss Union Jack seemed way out of her league, plus she lived on the West Coast, but Angie had always been a bit of a dreamer and figured she'd get nowhere in life if she didn't at least take a chance, so what the hell.

That had been almost 15 hours ago, and after the day she'd had, online dating and Miss Union Jack were the furthest things from Angie's mind. She'd just stepped out of the bathroom, towel wrapped around her hair and an oversized t-shirt falling off her shoulder, reading to call it a night, when she heard her phone ding. It was almost 11 p.m. and, although she had several friends who were undoubtedly still up and about, Angie couldn't imagine why any of them would be texting her so late. Unless they drunk texting. God, she hoped not. She wasn't up for that. Not tonight.

Impatiently padding over to the bed, she grabbed her phone and swiped the screen open, ready to send back a scathing response if Dottie had sent her something stupid, but when she saw the notification from the dating app, her face lit up in a grin and she began to bounce up and down.

"Oh my God! She replied!" she shrieked dancing across the floor. "I can't believe it!"

Her earlier frustration instantly forgotten, Angie quickly scanned Miss Union Jack's response, delighting in the woman's formality and adorable lack of familiarity with the online dating scene.

"Being that cute should be criminal," Angie giggled. She hit the reply button and began typing her response. 

_Well hi there! So excited to get your reply. We all have those one or two friends like that, but I'm sure glad they set up a profile for you, because a smile like yours is too pretty to keep hidden! I was surprised to see a profile like yours on this site because hello, have you looked in a mirror? ;D_

 _I've been doing this for a year now but haven't had much luck. I've had a few dates here or there, but nothing worth tweeting about. In fact, I was about to throw in the towel when you popped up!_

 _So anyhow… I'm an actress here in NYC – well, trying to be! I've had a few off-off Broadway roles, and I've starred in a couple of shows at a local playhouse. My dream is to see my name in lights at the Gershwin, but when I'm not on stage, I work as a barista (I won't blame you if you stop reading right now!). It's not glamorous, but it pays the bills! Besides, I know I have what it takes to make it big someday. I'm just waiting for my break._

 _What about you? Miss Union Jack makes me think you might be from England? What do you do? Hope to hear from you soon!_

 _PS – My favorite color is periwinkle blue. Yours? Coffee or tea?_

Angie sat back and re-read her message making sure it was fun and flirty but not _too_ flirty. She checked the spelling one last time and then, finally satisfied, hit the send button.

"All right, Miss Union Jack," she grinned, crossing her fingers. "Let's see if you like what you read!"


	4. Patience is a Virtue

Peggy had just polished off the last of her takeout when her phone dinged. When she glanced down and saw she had a message from BroadwayBaby87, her heart almost skipped a beat in nervous excitement. It had been a long time since she Peggy had felt that dating rush – since Steve, in fact. Somewhat surprised at the quick response – she'd only sent her initial response a little more than hour ago – Peggy reached for her phone and opened the app.

A smile blossomed across her face as she began to read the message. BroadwayBaby87 was certainly the charmer. She was also quite honest, which was something Peggy found refreshing. By the time she finished reading, she was grinning like a bloody fool, but Peggy decided she didn't care.

She hit the reply button and began typing a response, stopping here and there to consider her words. For some reason, she found herself eager to make a good impression.

 _Good evening!_

 _Yes. I'm from England – born and raised. I transferred to the United States several years ago for my work. I'd rather not delve too deeply into that, but suffice to say, the opportunity to move to the US was too good to refuse, and I've been happy with my decision to do so ever since._

 _I hope you won't classify me as one of those small minded people who ridicule others for chasing their dreams. It's important to know your value and believe in yourself. I'm intrigued and would love to hear more about some of your roles._

 _My favourite colour is red, and Parliament might revoke my citizenship if they ever knew this, but I actually adore a good black coffee. That's not to say I don't enjoy a cup of tea, but living in America these last few years has made me come to appreciate coffee._

 _Tell me a little bit more about you. Are you originally from New York City? Do you have a favourite Broadway show or play? What do you enjoy doing when you're not acting or working as a barista?_

 _I hope you have a lovely evening, and I look forward to talking more with you at your convenience._

 _Sincerely,_

 _Miss Union Jack_

Peggy read over the message once, and then hit send and leaned back into the couch. She knew she probably wouldn't hear anything until tomorrow, since it was almost midnight on the East Coast, but she couldn't contain the low thrum of excitement and giddiness that infused her.

BroadwayBaby87 had piqued her interest.

She gathered the empty carryout container and padded to the kitchen, tossing the paper box into the recycle bin. Flipping off the lights, she retreated to her bedroom and crawled into bed. She was exhausted and had a long day of meetings ahead of her, but as her eyes slowly fell shut, her thoughts drifted back to the beautiful young woman. She seemed so full of life. So effervescent. Peggy found herself wishing tomorrow were already here simply so she could read the woman's response.

XXX

It had been three days since Peggy messaged BroadwayBaby87. Three days with no response. Sitting in her office, glaring at her phone, she silently castigated herself. She had been too effusive with her last message. She shouldn't have been so forward.

"I knew this was a mistake," Peggy muttered. She reached across the desk and grabbed her phone, intent on deleting the ridiculous app. What had she been thinking? Swiping open the home screen, she tabbed to the app, eager to erase all evidence of her silly flight of fancy, but before she could do so, her phone pinged and an alert notification appeared at the top of the screen.

BroadwayBaby87 had responded.

Immediately forgetting the frustration that had consumed her only seconds before, Peggy opened the message.

 _Hey English!_

 _Sorry it took me a couple of days to respond. Wouldn't you know it? I came down with a nasty cold and have spent the past two days huddled under my covers practically unconscious. Guess I should've listened to Ma and taken those vitamin c pills. Hope you didn't forget about me!_

 _Since you asked, my favorite show is The Phantom of the Opera. Cliché, I know! But it was the first show I ever saw and that's what made me want to become a Broadway actress. Have you ever seen it? The music is heavenly._

 _I'm a born and raised New Yorker, a Brooklyn girl to be precise. I've traveled a little bit in the New England area but haven't had a chance to leave the States yet. It's a dream of mine to visit London and Paris and the old country – that's Italy for this Italian girl._

 _Honestly, between work and auditions, I don't have a whole lot of free time. Sometimes the girls and me will catch a movie – we like the outdoor films at Bryant Park in the summer._

 _I'm really enjoying these little chats, and hopefully this won't scare ya', but what would you think about exchanging numbers so we can text. You do text, right?_

At that, Peggy snorted and glared at her phone. "Of course I text. I'm not a complete luddite," she muttered before resuming reading.

 _If you're not comfortable and would rather chat here, I completely understand. Just a thought. Anyhow, here's mine – 716.555.1212._

 _Name's Angie by the way ;)_

 _Hope to talk to you soon!_

Peggy knew she was grinning like a fool, but she didn't care.

 _Angie_.

Such a lovely name.

Such a delightful woman.

Suddenly, her upcoming afternoon meeting didn't seem such a burden. Peggy only hoped she could keep her mind on the impending merger and off the charming barista who lived on the other side of the continent.

She had a feeling that might be a battle she lost.


	5. To Text or Not To Text

Peggy Carter was nervous.

Angie had sent her phone number the day before, but Peggy wasn't quite sure how to handle the situation. Although she knew she wanted to pursue further communication with Angie – and texting the younger woman would enable a real-time conversation that had been lacking in their interactions up to now – Peggy didn't quite know how she felt about giving her phone number to someone who was, for all intents and purposes, still mostly a stranger. She'd briefly considered asking Colleen about downloading an app to hide her phone number but that seemed somewhat dishonest and, moreover, Peggy wasn't keen on sharing that aspect of her personal life with her assistant, even if she had been the reason Peggy had begun talking to Angie in the first place.

That was how she found herself sitting at her desk, staring at her phone while tapping an elegantly manicured nail against the polished wood. Her sandwich sat nearby, untouched, as she pondered her dilemma.

Text Angie.

Don't text Angie.

Text the stunning, perky actress.

Don't text the young 'she-lives-so-far-away' barista.

"Oh, bloody hell," Peggy finally exclaimed, reaching for her phone. "This is more trouble than it's worth."

Opening a screen, she referenced the sticky note on her desk and carefully typed in Angie's number. After double-checking it, she began to text.

 ** _Hello, Angie. This is English. Sorry to hear you have been unwell. I hope you're doing much better now. How are you?_**

Peggy paused before hitting send, momentarily questioning if her text sounded too reserved. Truth be told she _was_ rather formal in her texts but, then again, the majority of texts she sent were between her and coworkers and they required a certain air of formality. Obviously, this was different.

She rolled her eyes. Why was this so difficult? It was only a text message. Not a bloody marriage proposal. Marriage proposal?

"Honestly, Peggy?" she chastised herself aloud. "That's where you go with it?" She huffed in frustration and hit the send button a little harder than necessary.

Ellipsis instantly appeared below her message and then…

 **English! You're texting me! SO excited! I'm feeling MUCH better. Thx for asking. What r u doing today?**

Peggy involuntarily grimaced at the informal message. Of course, Angie had no way of knowing, but text speak was one of her biggest pet peeves. She'd quickly broken her employees of the annoying habit in their correspondence with her shortly after arriving at the company.

Still, it seemed rather endearing come from Angie, so perhaps she could let it slide just this once, Peggy decided as she typed out a reply.

 ** _I'm eating my lunch and thought I'd take a few minutes to see how your day is going._**

She glanced over at the untouched sandwich. Technically, she _was_ on her lunch break.

 **Aww. That's sweet. I'm actually heading to work. I'm on the subway since it's raining today. How's the weather where u r?"**

Peggy grinned and swiveled around to survey the clear blue expanse through her office window.

 ** _I'm afraid it's rather gorgeous here. Not a cloud in sight. Apologies._ _So jealous_ :) _BTW, do u have a name besides English?_**

Peggy frowned.

 **BTW? LOL (laughing out loud), by the way (btw). Not much of a texter, huh?**

A light blush colored Peggy's cheeks. So, she _was_ that obvious. Bugger.

 ** _I'm not actually, but thank you for the explanation._**

Peggy held her breath, hoping the younger woman wouldn't see through her flimsy distraction for ignoring her request for a name. It wasn't as if Peggy wasn't interested in Angie. She definitely was, but she wasn't quite ready to share that information with her just yet.

When no response came, she bit her lip and tried to fill in the virtual silence.

 ** _You said you're on your way to work. To your barista job?_**

A moment later, Angie's response appeared.

 **Yup, it's the one that pays the bills. For now!**

Peggy chuckled.

 ** _You must have an extensive knowledge of coffees._**

"Oh dear Lord," Peggy winced, almost immediately after hitting send. "That was horrible. Why would I say that? She's going to think I'm a complete twit."

But apparently Angie didn't think that at all.

 **You betcha! Next time ur in NYC, u should stop by ;) _That's a wink btw. I'll whip up ur fave coffee!_**

Her words gave Peggy pause, and she frowned. Was that Angie's way of trying to issue a subtle invitation to visit? It seemed somewhat soon. Rather fast, actually, and Peggy didn't quite know what to say in response. She sat there for a moment, trying to think of an appropriate response. It must've been a relatively long moment, because her phone vibrated again and a new message from Angie appeared on the screen.

 **I'm just making convo English. I'm not inviting you to NYC. I think you're cute, but I'm not that fast! LOL**

Peggy blushed, both at being caught and at Angie's flirtatious comment, and quickly texted back.

 ** _No! Of course not! I didn't think that. I had a phone call. And thank you, btw._ _Sure u did_ ;p _and look at u using btw. I'm so proud_!**

Peggy frowned at the unfamiliar combination.

 **;p? I'm sticking my tongue out at you.**

"Ah," Peggy murmured. She could almost imagine Angie rolling her eyes at her. Perhaps she should retract her earlier luddite comment.

 **Well my stop's up next & texting & walking is never a safe combo for me. With my luck, I'd walk into a lamppost. But I'm sure glad u texted me, English! Hope u have a terrific day!**

Peggy laughed aloud at the mental image. Angie really was too funny. She was suddenly quite glad she'd taken the leap and texted her.

 ** _You, too, Angie. I must say, I've rarely enjoyed a lunch break this much._ _Aww, you're making me blush! Hope to talk to u later!_**

Peggy bit her lower lip to contain a smile before sincerely texting,

 ** _I look forward to it._**

She sat there for a minute, grinning like a fool, before raising her phone and typing one final message.

 ** _Peggy, btw._**

Ellipsis appeared again, and Angie's simple response sent a warm heat flooding through her.

 **:)**


	6. A Picture's Worth a Thousand Words

Peggy Carter couldn't remember the last time she'd felt so lighthearted. It had been three weeks since she'd first received Angie's message, and two weeks since she and the younger woman had begun texting.

They'd quickly fallen into a routine, Angie texting Peggy in the mornings when she got up and Peggy responding a few hours later when her day began. Peggy had initially kept her texts to before and after work, but they soon bled into her lunch hour. Angie, for her part, randomly texted Peggy during the day, and that had been the impetus for Peggy to begin responding throughout her work hours, too.

Through the course of their texting, Peggy quickly learned Angie's work schedule was sporadic. Sometimes, Angie would pull a morning shift in order to make an afternoon audition. Other days, she wouldn't hear from her after 3 p.m., because the waitress was working the closing shift at her café.

Regardless of whether or not she heard from Angie in the evenings, Peggy always made it a point to text Angie before she, herself, retired for the night. If pressed, she wouldn't be able to say why, but it was important to her and some part of her hoped Angie realized that.

As they corresponded more frequently, Peggy found herself sharing personal tidbits with Angie. Whereas her first texts had been somewhat stiff and impersonal, she now enjoyed a conversational tone with the waitress. Peggy discovered she didn't mind divulging information about her work, and she relished the moments when Angie actually seemed impressed by her latest acquisition, even if Angie did occasionally scold her for working late hours.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was the fact that they both seemed to rub off on one another. Angie's language had quickly evolved as the younger woman began phasing out much of her early text slang, while Peggy's became more informal. It was a nice blending of their voices, and Peggy secretly relished that.

She turned to gaze out the large window situated behind her and smiled. Who would have imagined conversing with a woman on the other side of the country would quickly become the highlight of her day?

*Ding*

Peggy whirled around to desk and eagerly grabbed her phone at the text notification. When she opened it, there stood Angie, standing in the heart of Times Square, arms raised, smiling impishly.

 _ **Big audition today!**_

Peggy leaned back, momentarily stunned, before breaking out into a beatific smile. This was the first picture she'd received from Angie since they started texting two weeks ago, and enamored didn't even begin to describe how Peggy felt.

Angie was _adorable_.

She exuded so much life and vitality, and Peggy once again wondered how she was still single and why someone like Angie would be interested in someone such as her. She instantly saved the photo to her album and then began typing a response.

 _ **You look beautiful, Angie. Sending all my best thoughts your way. What's the phrase? Break a leg!**_

 _ **You know it!**_ __ _ **I have a real good feeling about this part.**_

Peggy laughed. Of course she did. She remembered Angie mentioning something about an audition a few days ago and wondered if this was it or if she had yet another audition.

 _ **Is this the one you were telling me about earlier this week?**_

Angie's reply was instantaneous.

 _ **Yup. Same one. What are you up to?**_

 _ **Oh, you know me. Working as usual.**_

 _ **Sitting behind your big desk in a fancy suit?**_

 __Peggy smothered a laughed and wrote back.

 _ **Something like that.**_

She began to text more, but was interrupted by the annoying shrill of her office phone ringing. Sighing, Peggy quickly erased her initial message and replaced it.

 _ **I have a call coming in, but please let me know how it goes!**_

 _ **Sure thing, English!**_

Thirty minutes later, Peggy finally replaced the receiver back on her desk and sighed. If Howard Stark didn't quit pestering her about the latest schematics for the XKE-413, she was going to throttle him. Honestly, the man could be quite persistent. It was both admirable and annoying.

 _Speaking of persistent_ , she thought with a smile and picked up her mobile to stare at the picture Angie had sent. Her heart sped up and her stomach did the most delicious flip flop as she gazed at the smiling woman. Peggy bit her lower lip and exhaled slowly. Was she reading more into this than what really existed? After all, even though she and Angie had been texting for almost a month, this was all still relatively safe. They were both on opposite sides of the country. They couldn't become too close with that much distance between them. Could they?

Peggy contemplated their previous conversations and quickly realized she was horrible at trying to deceive herself. If she were to be honest, she knew she was developing feelings for the vibrant and honest woman who she spoke to every day. That realization brought a smile to her face. It had been a long time since anyone had made her feel that way, and she found herself inordinately pleased that it was Angie who had done so.

She glanced at the picture again and briefly wondered if she should return the favor. She wasn't one for taking pictures, and she had never taken – much less sent – a selfie.

 _Why not_? She shrugged and then laughed. _Time to live dangerously, Peggy._

Situating herself to take advantage of the lovely cityscape behind her, Peggy pushed her hair over her shoulder and shifted the phone until she was satisfied Angie could see the skyline behind her. Taking a deep breath she smiled and snapped the photo.

It was a nice picture. The sky was clear and blue. Peggy's smile, although somewhat reserved, was genuine and, most importantly, she looked happy.

She quickly sent it with the simple comment,

 _ **Hard at work!**_

Within seconds, Angie's response appeared.

 _ **Whoa! Looking good, English! Love the fancy suit ;D**_

Peggy didn't even try to contain the uncontrollable grin that spread across her face.


	7. The Sound of Her Voice

Peggy was glad to finally be home. It was just past seven o'clock, and the first thing she did when she walked through the door was immediately put on the music of Astrud Gilberto. As the calming voice of the bossa nova seductress wafted through her apartment, she kicked off her shoes and untucked her blouse. The plush carpet felt delicious beneath her bare toes as she made her way to the kitchen. After pouring herself a generous glass of Cabernet Sauvignon, she reached for the stack of papers she'd left on the counter earlier that morning and began perusing them as she shuffled through the living room, taking a large drink from her glass.

She'd just settled down on the couch, ready to enjoy a quiet evening with her glass of liquid relaxation when an incessant ringing filled the air.

"Good Lord," Peggy muttered, sitting her glass on the end table and reaching to retrieve her mobile. "Can't they leave me be for one evening? It's not as if–"

Her voice trailed off as she registered the name illuminated on the screen.

Angie Martinelli.

Setting down her papers, she stared in surprise as her mobile continued to ring. She hesitated another moment before hitting accept and bringing it to her ear.

"Hello?" she cautiously ventured.

" _ENGLISH!_ I got the part!"

Peggy couldn't contain the laughter that escaped from her lips. "Well hello to you, too, Angie!"

"Oh, sorry!" Angie apologized, sounding somewhat sheepish. "Hiya Pegs!"

Hearing the adorable nickname flow so easily, in what was quite possibly the loveliest voice she'd ever heard, was almost too much for Peggy to handle. She bit her lower lip and smiled.

"I assume your gut feeling about the audition proved true."

"Boy did it ever!" Angie exclaimed gleefully. "And I know I probably should've texted, but I'm so excited, and a text message didn't seem like the right way to express how happy I am, so I thought maybe I should tell you in person, and oh my God – _your voice!_ You know that accent is to die for, right?"

Peggy felt a blush crawl up the back of her neck at Angie's flirtatious comment. She knew she was positively beaming. But how could she not? Hearing Angie's exuberance was even more delightful than reading it. How one person could fit so many words in one breath was beyond her comprehension, but Angie seemed to manage it perfectly.

Choosing to pretend she hadn't heard Angie's comment about her accent, Peggy settled back into the couch and smiled into the mobile. "Oh Angie, that's fantastic. Do tell me all about it."

As Angie happily chatted away, Peggy couldn't help marveling at the younger woman. She was just as excitable as she came across in her texts, and Peggy found it absolutely endearing. She'd often wondered what Angie might sound like if they ever ended up speaking to each other, but actually hearing her New York accent as she darted from one topic to the next was better than anything Peggy had ever imagined. The woman was utterly adorable, and Peggy realized if she hadn't been smitten before, she was well and truly hooked now. Her stomach twisted deliciously at this realization which was about the same time Angie apparently recognized Peggy hadn't said more than three words in the last five minutes.

"And, oh my God, English, where are my manners?" Angie sighed dramatically. "I totally called you out of the blue. I hope this wasn't a bad time. I haven't crossed a line, have I?" she muttered, embarrassment coloring her words.

"You're fine, Angie," Peggy assured her. "I was merely glancing at reports."

"Again?" Angie playfully scolded. "You know, all work and no play makes English a dull girl."

Peggy laughed. "That's probably true."

"I've talked your ear off long enough," Angie apologized. "I just got so excited and wanted to share my news with you in person!" she paused and laughed. "Well, you know what I mean!"

Peggy chuckled. "Honestly Angie, I'm flattered you thought to call me."

"Well I'm flattered the pretty English lady is flattered," Angie retorted wryly. "After all, it's not every day a girl like me manages to snag someone as classy as yourself," Angie teased.

"Oh, Angie," Peggy said, unsure how to respond to her blatant flirting and unable to keep a sigh from escaping.

"Peggy, what's wrong?" Angie asked, her tone suddenly serious.

"It's nothing."

But Angie wouldn't let her off that easily. "Sounds like something."

"It's just…" Peggy's voice trailed off, and she sighed again. "I'm awful at this."

"At what?"

"This…" Peggy waved her hand. "Dating. Flirting. I never know what to say."

The other end of the line became alarmingly quiet, and Peggy waited, expecting to hear something. When no response came, she worried her lower lip and quietly asked, "Angie, are you still there?"

Angie's voice, when it finally came, was small and more subdued than Peggy ever imagined possible for the Brooklyn firecracker.

"Are we dating?"

Peggy felt her stomach drop.

"Oh God," she groaned in embarrassment, because in her mind, they were dating. The messages, texting, sending one another pictures – she assumed those were all things couples did. Apparently, she had assumed wrong and now she'd put poor Angie in an awkward situation.

"Angie, I am so sorry," she continued. "See? This is exactly what I mean. I shouldn't have assumed. I told you I'm rubbish at this, and I completely understand if you no longer want to–"

"Oh shut up, English," Angie softly giggled. "You talk too much."

Peggy grew quiet and waited for Angie to continue.

"I know we haven't met in person, Peggy," Angie finally said, "But I'd be lying if I said I don't look forward to seeing your texts every morning when I wake up."

"As do I," Peggy agreed, and then she ventured, "Is that strange?"

"I don't know," Angie answered, and Peggy was surprised by her honesty. "I mean, I sent you that message on a lark. To be honest, I wasn't expecting to get you."

"I'm not sure I understand," Peggy said, confusion evident in her voice.

Angie sighed and silence descended. When she spoke again, her voice was remarkably subdued. "I had an idea of who Miss Union Jack might be, but the real deal has been so much better."

Peggy let out a nervous laugh. "Ah, so this is a good thing?"

"Believe me Pegs. It's a great thing," Angie confirmed quietly, and Peggy could swear she heard a note of longing in her voice.

Peggy swallowed. "So, what do we do now?"

"I'm not really sure."

"Should we meet?" Peggy ventured, and then, with more conviction, nodded. "We should meet, right?"

"Eventually?" Angie laughed. "I gotta' be honest with you, Peggy. I'm a barista. I'm not rolling in money, and I just got this new role, so I'm going to be rehearsing nonstop."

"And I'm involved in a major project out here and am on call for the next four or five weeks," Peggy groaned. "I can't leave California for the foreseeable future."

"It's okay," Angie assured her. "I understand."

"As do I, but it doesn't make it any less frustrating," Peggy grumbled. She took a sip of her wine. "Angie, I would still like to talk with you and see you, so to speak."

"Then how about we talk and see where this takes us?" Angie suggested.

"I'd like that."

"Me, too" Angie replied. She was silent for a moment, and Peggy wondered what she was thinking, but before she could ask, Angie spoke again. "Well it's getting late here. I should probably let ya' go."

A stab of disappointment coursed through Peggy, and she realized she didn't want to hang up. But, Angie was right. It was late, and it'd be selfish for Peggy to keep her any longer.

"I'm so glad you called, Angie. I enjoyed talking with you."

"Me, too."

May I… may I call you tomorrow?" Peggy inquired hesitantly.

"Consider it a date!"

Peggy laughed. "I'll mark it on my calendar, then."

"Knowing you, that's probably true," Angie teased.

Peggy knew she'd continue to draw out the conversation if she allowed it, but ever mindful of the time difference, she inhaled a deep breath and finally said, "Goodnight, Angie."

"Goodnight, English."

She waited until the line went dead before setting her mobile on the end table. Leaning back, she took a generous drink of wine and laid her back against the couch, contemplating everything that had happened.

She was officially dating Angie Martinelli, a barista and aspiring actress in New York City. Her shoulders shook in surprised laughter. Never in a million years would she have imagined herself in a situation such as this, but the more she thought about it, the more right it seemed. There was something about Angie, something… genuine. Peggy had only ever known one other person like that. A warmth blossomed in her chest as she realized the similarities between her beloved Steve and this lovely woman from Brooklyn who was, if she was going to be honest, slowly stealing her heart.

*Ding*

Peggy glanced at her mobile and saw a message from the woman she'd just been thinking about.

 ** _OMG! English – that voice. You're all I'm going to dream about tonight_ :***

Peggy picked up her mobile and replied.

 **:* ?**

 ** _It's a kiss, silly!_**

 ** _Ah! Well in that case_ :* :* :***

 ** _Keep it up and those dreams might not stay PG, you English charmer, you!_**

Peggy turned bright red but managed to reply without embarrassing herself.

 ** _Goodnight, Angie. Sweet dreams._**

 ** _Goodnight, Pegs!_ ;)**


	8. The More I See You

It had been inevitable. After seven weeks of communicating with Angie, Peggy knew one of them would eventually work up the courage to suggest talking face to face.

So although Peggy was somewhat startled when she glanced down at her ringing mobile and saw Angie requesting to FaceTime, she also felt a little thrill shoot through her at finally being able to see the perky New Yorker as they talked.

Putting on her biggest smile, she hit accept, but Angie's smiling face didn't greet her. Instead, she was confronted with the image off an off-white ceiling and the sounds of someone moving around in the background.

"Hello?" she asked.

More shuffling and then a muffled curse in Italian.

Peggy frowned. "Hello?" she said, a little louder.

A moment later, Angie's face appeared, hovering over the screen as she picked up her phone. Her eyes widened when she saw Peggy peering back at her, and she yelped in surprise.

"Oh geez, Peggy, I didn't mean to FaceTime you. I'm so sorry!" Angie said when she realized what she'd done. "I was flustered and must've hit the wrong button. I'm sorry."

Peggy waved her concern away with a dismissive hand. "It's not a problem, Angie," she assured her. She peered at the screen and noticed Angie's red eyes and the tell-tale splotching that meant Angie had been crying. She instantly grew concerned.

"Oh Angie, what's wrong?"

Angie sighed and plopped onto her bed. "I've had a really rough day and just needed to talk."

"Tell me what's going on, darling. I'm listening."

Peggy listened sympathetically, as Angie talked about her day, but her visage grew dark when Angie related the harassment she'd suffered at the hands a young male customer.

"Do I need to come out there and stab somebody with a fork?" she asked ominously.

Angie's face lit up in delighted laughter. "If I'd known that's all it took to get you out here, I'd have told you weeks ago!"

Peggy grinned, pleased she was able to elicit such a response. "I am so glad you called, Angie. It's wonderful to be able to finally see you."

"Ditto! And wow, Pegs, can you stop being so gorgeous?" Angie asked, winking as her gaze roamed up and down Peggy's profile.

Peggy felt her cheeks grow warm, and she lowered her eyes.

"Aww, I didn't mean to embarrass you, English," Angie giggled. "But it's true."

"Angie," Peggy smiled. "You're just as lovely."

Angie looked down at her work clothes, which were covered in dark coffee stains, and laughed. "I think you need to get your vision checked!" She shifted the phone as she rolled over onto her stomach. "But enough about my crappy day. How was yours?"

Peggy settled on the couch and chuckled. "Long."

"Oh?"

"Yes, some of my staff invited me to join them at a bar they frequent. It's not usually my scene, but I distinctly remembered someone telling me all work and no play makes English a dull girl," she gave Angie a pointed look and was rewarded when the woman beamed back at her. "So, I decided to go. Unfortunately, it ended up being rather awkward."

"Oh no!" Angie cried. "What happened?"

Peggy shifted a bit uncomfortably. "Well, you see, there was a man there."

Angie arched an eyebrow but said nothing.

"And he wouldn't stop hitting on me." 

Angie's pursed her lips, and when she spoke, her voice was flat. "Really."

"Yes," Peggy nodded. "It was somewhat embarrassing, what with my staff there, but I tried to be polite." 

"Was he good looking?"

Peggy nodded. "Very much so, but I finally had to tell him I was unavailable and, thankfully, he took the hint."

Angie grinned. "You're unavailable, huh?"

"Well, I uh…" Peggy stumbled over her words.

Angie's grin widened, and she showered Peggy with an adoring look.

"I simply assumed since we text and talk every day," Peggy explained. "That is, I mean I thought we'd decided we would try dating…"

"Well yeah, we did, Peggy," Angie nodded, her tone turning serious, "But dating and being exclusive are two very different things."

Peggy felt her heart drop. She suddenly realized she managed to lose control of the conversation, and she wasn't quite sure she liked where it seemed to be headed.

"You're absolutely right, of course," she mumbled, embarrassment coloring her cheeks.

"I don't know how they do it over in England," Angie continued, "But over here, dating means putting yourself out there. Testing the waters. Weighing your options."

Peggy stared at Angie, trying to determine how she'd completely misread Angie's intentions. She felt like she'd missed something important and was unsure how to respond.

"I'm an old-fashioned girl, Peggy Carter," Angie continued. She bit her lower lip and an impish gleam stole into her eyes. "I mean the least you could do is ask me to go steady," she said and winked.

Peggy's eyes grew large. _Angie was merely teasing her_. Dropping her head to the couch behind her, she threw her hands over her face and groaned. "I told you I'm rubbish at this."

"You really are," Angie agreed, laughing. "I'm sorry, but it was just too easy."

Peggy suddenly sat up, her countenance shifting to something quite serious. "Angie, if I _were_ to ask, what would your answer be?"

Angie's laughter died away, and she swallowed. "Aw, Peggy, I was just teasin' ya."

"I realize that," Peggy said. "But you raised a valid point. Although I haven't been seeing anyone here, I hadn't taken into account you might want–"

"Peggy," Angie leaned closer to the screen and gave her a reproving look. "I haven't and don't want to see anyone else besides you, you English ninny." She frowned. "I can't believe you'd even think that."

Peggy felt that familiar warmth unfurl in her stomach and work its way through her body. She looked down and blushed. "Yes, well, I didn't want to assume…" she mumbled, voice trailing off.

Angie groaned. "Not fair, Pegs." 

Peggy looked up, confused. "What's not fair?"

"How am I supposed to be irritated with you when you start blushing like that and go all adorable on me?"

Peggy laughed and blushed even harder.

"There you again!" Angie cried in mock frustration.

"I shall endeavor to work on that," Peggy promised.

"How about you endeavor to get that cute butt of yours to New York City, instead?" Angie retorted.

Peggy smiled at her, and they stayed that way for a few minutes, each watching the other through the screen, content in sharing a quiet moment together.

It was Peggy who finally broke the silence. "Angie, I know you were joking earlier, but I was not."

Angie laughed. "Are we coming back to this again?"

But Peggy didn't laugh. "Yes." She glanced away and sighed before bringing her gaze back to Angie. "Would you consider being exclusive?"

A soft look stole into Angie's eyes, and she smiled. "Peggy Carter, are you asking me to be your girl?"

"If I were, what would your answer be?"

"Yes," Angie whispered. "I'd love to be your girl." She sighed and rested her chin in her hand. "You know, Peggy, I've never had a long-distance…"

"Relationship?" Peggy offered nervously.

Angie was quiet for a moment. "Yeah," she exhaled. "That's exactly what this is, isn't it? Wow."

Peggy's cheeks grew warm. "You'll probably think this terribly sappy, but I framed the picture you texted the day of your audition and put it on my desk."

Angie began to blush furiously. "No you didn't," she murmured. "Really?"

Peggy nodded. "Right next to my docking station. It's the first thing I see when I sit down every morning."

"You're really something, Pegs. You know that?"

Even though it had been hard for Peggy to admit having her photo on her desk, Angie's pleased response was well worth any embarrassment.

"We're gonna' have to figure out a plane ticket," Angie said and glanced longingly at Peggy. " _Soon_."

"Absolutely." Peggy glanced at the clock. "It's getting late, darling. Shall we do this again tomorrow?"

Angie nodded. "You call me when you're free."

"Yes, ma'am."

Angie rolled her eyes. "Silly Peggy." She placed two fingers against her lips and gently kissed them before touching them to the screen. "Night, English."

"Good night, Angie," Peggy smiled. The call ended, and Peggy was left staring at the wallpaper of Angie on her screen. She softly kissed her fingertips and touched them to her mobile.

"I love you."


	9. Opening Night

The past two months had been the happiest months of Angie Martinelli's life. Not only had she finally landed a major part in a Broadway play, but she was also dating the most beautiful woman she'd ever met.

Well, sort of met, and therein lay the only negative in a world otherwise filled with so many positives.

Angie had really been hoping Peggy would be able to make it to her opening show tonight, but when they'd spoken earlier that week, her girlfriend had profusely apologized and said a corporate bigwig from Thailand was flying in the same day Angie's show opened, and she had to be there for the meeting.

Although, realistically, she understood the reasoning behind Peggy's words, Angie was still disappointed. After working so hard on this role, she wanted to share her big moment with the woman she loved.

 _Love_.

Now there was a word that had taken her by surprise the first time it had crossed her mind a few weeks ago; however, after sitting down and truly assessing her feelings for the British woman, Angie realized that as silly as it might seem to everyone else, she'd totally fallen head over heels in love with Peggy Carter, even without having ever met her in person.

Angie had initially tried to write it off as merely the heady feeling of infatuation everyone seemed to get at the beginning of a new relationship, but she quickly realized that it was so much more. Everything about Peggy made her happy – her willingness to listen when she needed to talk, her ability to cheer Angie up when she was sad, even the silly pictures she began sending once she'd loosened up. Angie didn't care what anyone said – she loved Peggy Carter, and that's probably why Peggy not being there for her big performance hurt so much.

Sighing, she adjusted the messenger bag slung across her chest as turned the corner to the theater.

It wasn't Peggy's fault she couldn't be there tonight. Angie knew that. It was that dumb bigwig from Thailand. She secretly hoped he got mild food poisoning when Peggy took him to dinner, so he would suffer just as much as he was making her suffer.

Okay, maybe that was a touch melodramatic. She didn't want anything to happen that might jeopardize Peggy's meeting. No. She just wanted Peggy _here_. God, she was worse than a lovesick teenager.

Laughing at herself, Angie whipped out her phone and jotted off a quick message to her girlfriend with the hope she'd see it before the show began and possibly respond.

 ** _Heya, Pegs! Hope your meeting with Fancy man from Thailand is going well. Sure wish you could be here tonight! Call me later, k? Maybe 10 my time? Miss you! xo_**

She tucked her phone back in her pocket as she came to the stage door entrance and ducked inside to greet Henry who diligently stood guard.

"Hey Angie," he nodded when she came through the door.

"How's it going, Henry?" she smiled.

"You know. The usual. Keeping the fan girls away from Darren."

Angie giggled. "Poor Henry!"

The older man rolled his eyes at her and then snapped his fingers. "Oh hey! You had a delivery earlier."

Angie's nose crinkled, and she looked at him in surprise. "A delivery? For me?"

"Yeah," he nodded. "Some flowers."

"Flowers!" she exclaimed, delight blossoming across her features as she took off running with a heartfelt "Thanks, Henry!" tossed over her shoulder before disappearing around the corner.

Sure enough, when she arrived at her small dressing room, she found a large bouquet of beautiful red roses sitting on the dresser situated by the window and a smaller, but equally stunning, bouquet of violets and baby's breath carefully placed in front of the mirror of her dressing table.

Stepping over to the roses, Angie extracted the card which simply read, " _Break a leg! – P_." She smiled. Succinct. Just like Peggy. She walked over to her mirror and tucked the card beneath the frame before leaning down and plucking the other card which lay nestled among the violets. She was pleasantly surprised to see far more writing.

" _My darling, Angie, I wish I could be here with you tonight to watch you shine. Know that I'm thinking of you! xoxo, English_."

Feeling tears well up in her eyes, Angie quickly dashed them away, knowing she couldn't afford to look as though she'd been crying, even if they were tears of happiness. Reaching into her pocket, she took out her phone again and quickly began typing another message.

 ** _Now I really do wish you could come tonight so I could properly thank you for the lovely flowers_ ;D _Call me later! I mean it! xo_**

She hit send and then tossed her phone on the table before slinging her bag over the back of the chair. When she glanced at herself in the mirror, she couldn't help laughing at the stupid grin plastered across her face. But really, who could blame her, she thought.

After all, it wasn't every day the woman she loved sent her flowers for an opening night performance. At least, it wasn't right now. Angie sincerely hoped it would be someday, though, and with that in mind, she disappeared into her bathroom, purposefully turning her focus toward her upcoming performance. Thoughts of making Peggy Carter a permanent fixture in her life would have to wait until later, but it was definitely something she planned on revisiting.


	10. Curtain Call

When Peggy arrived at work that morning, she had no intention of ending her day in New York City. Yet, that's exactly where she found herself at 7:30 p.m., lowering herself into a seat near the back of the Majestic Theatre as the curtain rose on Angie's opening night. As the sweeping sounds of the overture wafted toward the back of the theatre, Peggy tried to make sense of the events that had led to her arrival there.

When she'd entered her meeting at 8 a.m. that morning, she was ready for a long day filled with grueling negotiations, arguments, lawyers and Howard Stark arrogantly strutting around the conference room, telling their prospective partner why a deal with Stark Industries wasn't offered to just anybody; however to her surprise, Howard had everything laid out when Mr. Shinawatra arrived promptly at the appointed time, and Peggy had been shocked to discover Howard's usual belligerence almost non-existent. In fact, as she watched him wheel and deal, it seemed he was eager to finalize the deal and willing to make more concessions than usual.

Peggy briefly wondered if he had a liaison waiting on him somewhere across the Pacific – it wouldn't have been the first time he'd hurried a merger along for that reason – but as soon as Mr. Shinawatra signed the agreement, Howard had shaken his hand, nodded for Peggy to do the same and then he took Peggy by the arm and quickly escorted her to the elevator.

When the doors closed on them, Peggy turned to stare at him in confusion.

"Howard, what on earth has gotten into you? Your behavior back there bordered on the edge of rude."

Howard merely tapped his foot and stared at his watch. "I made sure Jarvis passed along our apologies, and I have reservations for Mr. Shinawatra at one of the city's finest restaurants, so he'll be fine."

Peggy frowned. "Our apologies for what? Are we going somewhere?"

Howard grinned and waggled his eyebrows at her. "You are."

"I am?"

Howard nodded. "Yup, and we need to hurry."

The elevator came to a stop, and Howard darted out, practically dragging Peggy behind him as he sped down the corridor. After a few turns, Peggy belatedly realized they were heading to the private runway that sat at the back of the Stark Industries building. Digging her heels to the against the tile, Peggy halted and Howard, obviously not expecting the change in momentum, stumbled in front of her, releasing her arm as he did so.

"Geez, Peggy, what gives?" he scowled as he righted himself. "We need to hurry."

Peggy folded her arms across his chest and glared at him. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on, Howard."

Howard sighed and stepped closer. "You're going to New York, dummy. I thought that much was obvious."

"New York?" Peggy gasped. She stabbed a finger back toward the direction from where they'd just come. "Howard! I can't go to New York. We have a newly minted partner upstairs who–"

"Who has signed the paperwork," Howard interrupted, "And whom I'll be treating to a spectacular lunch once you're safely in the air which will then be followed by an opulent evening on the town later tonight. But first," he reiterated, "I have to get you on the jet."

"But I don't even have a travel bag packed," Peggy sputtered.

"Colleen put together a small bag of toiletries for you. It's on the plane. You can use your company credit card to buy whatever clothes you need once you're in New York."

"But…"

"C'mon, Pegs," Howard exhaled, a tinge of impatience coloring his words. "The girl you're crazy about – and don't bother denying it," he warned when Peggy opened her mouth to dispute him, "has her first big performance tonight. You've been moaning about missing it for weeks."

Peggy's lips thinned into a frown. "I have not been moaning."

Howard waved a hand. "Whatever. It's a big deal. You and I both know it, and you need to be there."

"Even at the expense of our most important merger?" Peggy asked, not even bothering to hide her sarcasm.

Howard's annoyance melted away and a vulnerable look, one that Peggy had only ever seen a handful of times during their friendship and business association, flitted across his face.

"Look, Peg, you deserve this," he told her. "You're the hardest working employee I have. Hell, you spend more time at the office than me!"

Peggy couldn't help smiling at that. It was true.

Howard ran a hand through his hair and continued. "I know how much you like this girl. I think you might even love her," he ventured with a significant look.

Peggy suddenly glanced away and cleared her throat uncomfortably.

"I remember how you were with Steve," he went on, his voice softening. "And this is the first time, in a long time, that I've seen traces of that Peggy." He took her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. "I've missed her."

Peggy brought her gaze back to him and bit her lower lip, cursing the tears she could feel welling up in her eyes. "I've missed her, too," she confessed.

Howard smiled and tugged her hand to resume their walk. "Well, let's do what we can do to get that Peggy back, okay? Go to New York. See your girl." He opened the door and ushered her out onto the private runway. Nothing more was said until they reached the stairs to his private jet, and Howard had confirmed everything with his pilot who stepped outside to meet them. Turning to Peggy, Howard grinned.

"I want you to have a good time! A really good time, if you know what I mean," he said in a suggestive tone that left little doubt as to his definition of good time.

Peggy rolled her eyes, but then reached out and drew him to her for a hug. Pulling away, she smiled at him and shook her head. "Most of the time I want to throttle you, Howard, but then you go and do something like this – so decent and human – and make me remember why we became friends in the first place," she laughed.

Howard shrugged. "What can I say? I have my moments."

Peggy wiped a tear away and smiled. "Yes, you do. I don't know I can ever thank you for this."

"Take off next week and stay with that gal of yours," he quipped, earning him a punch to his shoulder. "Ow, Peggy! Not so hard," he groaned.

"You're incorrigible, you know that, right?"

"And you love me for it," he replied. "Now go or else you won't make it time for the show!"

Giving him one final hug, Peggy turned and made her way up the stairs into the jet. There was a gorgeous woman waiting for her on the other side of the country, and for the first time in a long time, Peggy Carter was going to give into the impulsiveness she usually kept at bay and follow her heart.

 **XXX**

Peggy leapt to her feet clapping wildly when Angie came out for her final bow, and pride surged through her as the audience whistled and cheered for her girlfriend. She had been amazing and Peggy knew, without a doubt, Angie Martinelli had a bright future on the stage. She waited until the cast disappeared behind the curtain before gathering her purse and Playbill, making her way toward the theatre entrance.

Knowing she would never be able to talk her way backstage, Peggy opted to wait with the small crowd that had already gathered by the stage door in the hopes of meeting some of the cast. While it wasn't the most ideal option for surprising Angie, it was the only one she could think of at the moment. As she stood along the barricade, watching as the crowd grew larger, the stage door opened and a middle-aged man came out to address the people gathered there.

"Darren is going to be a while, folks. He's got some friends visiting from out of town, and he may not even come out this way.

A few girls in the crowd looked heartbroken, and Peggy smothered a laugh. To be young and in love with your favorite television actor, she recalled and then belatedly wondered if that meant Angie might not come out this door, too.

"Sorry," the older man continued blandly. "Stay if you want, but no promises." He began walking back toward the door, and Peggy, realizing she needed to know which exit Angie would use, waved a hand to get his attention.

"Excuse me, sir? Sir?"

She watched as the man turned toward her, an impatient look already firmly in place on his face.

"Look lady," he started, but then stopped when he actually saw Peggy and looked at her incredulously. "Holy shit," he exclaimed. "You're English!"

Peggy blinked rapidly, finding his reaction was rather bizarre. After all, she couldn't have been the first British citizen he'd ever met in his life. Not living in New York, but she composed herself and merely shook her head. "Yes, I am English, and I was wondering if-"

But the man cut her off before she could finish and grinned. "No! No! I meant you're Angie's English!"

Now she was the one startled, and Peggy found herself suddenly at a loss for words. How was it this stranger knew her, even though she had never seen him before in her life?

"I thought you weren't coming," he continued excitedly, stepping closer and inching the barricade back to create an opening.

"Well, ah, I wasn't," Peggy said, trying to regain some semblance of control over the conversation. "But, my meeting wrapped up earlier than expected, so I caught a flight out."

The man eye's widened in glee. "Wait a sec, Angie doesn't know you're here?"

His enthusiasm was infectious, and Peggy shook her head, a genuine smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "I wanted to surprise her."

"Oh, this is gonna' be great," he grinned, before reaching forward to guide Peggy through the small opening. He waited until she was through and then moved the barricade back in place.

"C'mon," he motioned. "You can wait backstage."

Peggy was surprised. "Really? That's awfully kind of you."

"Not at all," he shrugged. He opened the door and ushered her to a darkened waiting area. "In fact, if you want, you can go to her dressing room. Up the stairs, down the hall. Last door on your left. She went up a few minutes ago."

"That would be lovely, actually," she confessed, a bit overwhelmed by the kindness of this complete stranger. She'd always heard New Yorkers could be a cold bunch, but this man was shattering that stereotype with every sentence he spoke. "Thank you, Mister– ?" she paused, waiting for his name.

"Johnson," he supplied with a grin. "Henry Johnson. And you're Peggy Carter. Angie's been showing me your picture and telling me all about you for the last four weeks," Henry laughed.

"Ah!" Peggy exclaimed. "So, that's how you recognized me!"

Henry chuckled. "Our girl is crazy about you." He squinted at her. "I hope it's mutual?"

Peggy's cheeks grew warm, and she ducked her head. "I assure you, it's entirely mutual."

Henry gave her arm a friendly pat. "I kinda' figured it was since you flew all the way from California just to see her onstage, but it never hurts to ask," he winked at her. "So quit dawdling and get up there and tell our Brooklyn firecracker hello!"

Peggy laughed. "Last door on the left, yes?"

"Last door on the left."

Giving him a final thank you, Peggy turned and ascended the rickety staircase, excitement fluttering in her chest as she climbed to the second floor. To say she had been nervous during the flight from California to New York would be an understatement. Fear had gripped her as soon as the jet left the runway. What if Angie wasn't as pleased to see her as Peggy hoped she would be? What if she thought Peggy didn't compare as well in person as she did over texting and the phone? What is she suddenly changed her mind? All the what-ifs had almost driven her crazy, and she'd had resorted to drinking two glasses of wine to finally calm her nerves.

But now, having spoken to Henry and learning that Angie was apparently as over the moon for Peggy as Peggy was for her, her fears seemed unfounded. Besides, the texts Angie had sent her earlier made it pretty clear the woman was as eager to see Peggy as she was to see her.

Speaking of texts, hadn't Angie said to call her? Peggy pulled out her phone and quickly scanned for Wi-Fi access and found the theater's local connection. Quickly turning around, she ran back downstairs to Henry, who looked up in confusion at her reappearance.

"Something wrong, Miss English?"

"Not at all," she hurriedly assured him. She held up her phone. "It's just that Angie asked me to call her, and I thought I might FaceTime her and–"

"And throw her off the trail!" Henry smirked. "I like how you think!" He leaned inside the small office and jotted something down on a sticky note. "Here's the password," he said, handing it to her.

Peggy gave him a grateful smile and called back a heartfelt "Thank you!" over her shoulder as she rushed back upstairs.

Within moments, she was waiting as Angie's phone rang, holding her own close to her face, effectively blocking out any background Angie could potentially recognize. As she walked down the hall, she saw the screen change, signaling that Angie had picked up. A second later, her girlfriend's delighted face filled the screen.

"I got the flowers, Peggy! They're gorgeous," she gushed. "And the cards you sent with them! Wow!"

Peggy's eyes lit up with happiness. "I'm so pleased you liked them, darling."

"I loved them," Angie corrected her. "I just wish you could've been here tonight to give them to me in person and see the show." She sighed and looked longingly at her through the screen.

"I know you were amazing," Peggy breathed, drinking in the sight of Angie flitting about the room and smiling when she heard her girlfriend's amused giggle.

"I think you might be kinda' biased."

Peggy shook her head. "No. I know," she repeated, confidence underscoring her words.

Angie ducked her head and smiled shyly, and Peggy felt a wave of emotion wash over. Slowing her pace, Peggy couldn't help marveling at the surreal moment. Here she was, talking to her girlfriend over the phone as Angie sat behind a door only mere feet away from her. Peggy had honestly wondered if this moment would ever come, and now that it had, she was determined to soak in every single detail.

Unfortunately, a noise to her left jostled her from her reflection, and she turned just in time to see a young man she recognized as Angie's co-star exit the door to her left. Panic lanced through her when his eyes lit up in recognition – Bloody Nora, had Angie shown her picture to everyone in the cast? He opened his mouth to say something, but Peggy swiftly brought her hand up, frantically waving and pointing at her phone.

Relief coursed through her when a sly smile spread across his face and he nodded in understanding. Giving her two thumbs up, he silently mouthed "Good luck!" and then headed down the hallway, his soft laughter floating back to Peggy.

"What was that?" Angie asked.

"What was what?"

Angie frowned. "I thought I heard a noise."

"I didn't hear anything," Peggy said innocently.

"Huh, must've been on my end then," Angie said, jostling the phone as she moved through her room. "Do you mind if I set you down while I take off my makeup?" she asked.

"Not all," Peggy told her. She waited as the background wobbled while Angie set the phone on her vanity. A moment later, she was back in view, seated a couple of feet from the phone. Peggy watched, mesmerized, as Angie began wiping away the stage makeup with a facial wipe. She was beautiful, and Peggy found herself desperately hoping she could one day be fortunate enough to share intimate moments like this with Angie on a daily basis.

Seemingly oblivious to Peggy's scrutiny, Angie ran the wipe across her cheek and asked, "So, how was your day?"

"Long," Peggy admitted. "I had to travel."

Angie frowned and peered down at the screen. "Travel? I thought you had a meeting with the Thailand guy?"

"I did this morning," Peggy confirmed. "But wonder of wonders, it finished much earlier than planned, so off I went to my next agenda item!"

Angie laughed and affectionately shook her head at Peggy. "My girlfriend, the whirling dervish."

"I don't know about that," Peggy snorted indelicately and then blushed as a yawn escaped her.

"You look tired," Angie told her, eyes filling with concern. "What time did your day start?"

Peggy chuckled. "My time or yours?"

"Yours, silly!"

"4 a.m."

"Yikes," Angie cringed. "Why so early?"

"I ended up picking our partner up from the hotel this morning, so I had to get up a little earlier than usual to squeeze my workout in," Peggy explained.

"Wow, that does make for a long day," Angie said sympathetically. "So where'd you travel to?"

Peggy paused in front of Angie's room. The moment of truth had come. It was now or never. She raised her hand to the door.

"Well darling, that's actually a funny story," she said and then rapped her fist against the wooden door two times.

She watched Angie look away from the screen. "Just a second," she called out before turning back to Peggy. "Can you hold on a sec, Pegs. Someone's at the door. Give me just a minute to get rid of them, okay?"

"Of course, darling," Peggy nodded, biting back a grin.

When Angie disappeared from view, Peggy ended the call and slipped her phone back in her pocket. She listened as Angie's footfalls drew closer and then the door opened, and Angie stood before her in a fluffy white robe, hair piled atop her head. She watched as the younger woman's eyes widened in stunned amazement before Angie shrieked and launched herself at Peggy, arms wrapping around her neck as she tightly embraced her.

"Oh my God, Peggy! You're here!"

"Surprise, darling," Peggy laughed, arms tightening around Angie's smaller frame. She inhaled the sweet vanilla scent of Angie's hair and felt a peace that had been absent from her life for quite some time slowly settle over her. They stayed that way for several minutes until Angie finally pulled away to peer at her.

"I can't believe you're really here," she repeated, and Peggy could see tears welling up in her girlfriend's eyes.

"Oh, Angie, please don't cry!" Peggy breathed. "I didn't mean for you to cry."

"They're tears of happiness," Angie assured her, burying her face in Peggy's neck again and drawing close. "I thought you had meetings." She pulled back suddenly and glared accusingly at her through her tears. "You said you had meetings!"

"I did," Peggy promised, laughter bubbling up inside her. "But we were able to finalize the deal this morning."

Angie gaped at her. "So, what? You just up and flew across the country to come to my show and see me?"

Peggy wasn't sure how she was supposed to respond, and her earlier fears came rushing back at her in full force. Angie had been asking for her to visit for several weeks, but had she been too bold in actually doing just that? If Angie's fingers, which were still clutching at Peggy's arm, were any indication, the answer was most likely no. So taking a cautious breath, Peggy gazed into Angie's shining eyes and nodded. "Of course I did, Angie. You matter to me."

Relief coursed through her as Angie gazed at her with delight and whispered, "You're something else, English."

Bringing her hands up to cup Angie's face, Peggy stepped closer and stared into the bright blue eyes she'd come to know and love. "Angie."

"Yeah?" she murmured.

"I realize this might sound melodramatic, but I've wanted to hold you in my arms for so long," she admitted, hands slightly shaking against her girlfriend's face.

Angie nuzzled into her touch and sighed. Peggy felt the warm breath dance across her palm and her heart tightened. She was finally here with Angie Martinelli and it was better than anything she'd imagined. She felt Angie's arms fall to her waist and then the younger woman was pressed tightly against her, face tipping upward, a mischievous smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

"Is there anything else you've maybe been wantin' to do?" she asked somewhat cheekily.

"As a matter of fact there is," Peggy practically purred and she leaned in to cover Angie's lips with her own, hand slipping down to caress her collarbone as their mouths began to move together. Peggy allowed herself to indulge in a moment of pride when a low moan slipped from Angie's mouth, and the Italian woman's fingers sank into the back of her blouse.

Pulling away, she began peppering Angie's face with soft kisses, trailing her lips along her cheeks and down her jawline. Angie sighed and tilted her head back, eyes still closed. A blissful smile lifted the corners of her mouth.

"Mmmm, I like your idea of conversation, Peggy. Tell me more?"

"I'd be delighted to," Peggy murmured and walked Angie backwards until they both stood inside her small dressing room. Leaning closer, she allowed her lips to find Angie's once more, deepening the kiss as her hand reached behind her and gave the door a firm push.

She had much to tell Angie, and all the time in the world to do so.


End file.
